Rotatable table and seating apparatus



March 17, 1959 F. ANDERSON 2, ROTATABLE TABLE AND SEATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E I I 40 l n r L44 325 37 37 w lg/I0 HI 4 1/ mum: In

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'March 17, 1959 F. ANDERSON ROTATABLE TABLE AND SEATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 24, 1958 United States Patent 2,877,827 ROTATABLE TABLE AND SEATING APPARATUS Ford Anderson, Rochester, Minn., assignor to Ahmco, Inc., Rochester, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota 1 Application March 24, 1958, Serial No. 723,242

1 Claim. (Cl. 155--123) This invention relates to a rotatable table and seating apparatus. It is desirable to have such an apparatus in picnic and recreational areas whereby the persons seated thereabout may have the pleasure of eating, playing games or visiting at such an apparatus while rotating therewith. If desired of course such an apparatus may be used in a stationary position. Such an apparatus is particularly adapted for use by children who enjoy being in motion while eating or playing games on a talble surface, and particularly when attending an event, such as a picnic. It is desirable to have such an apparatus adapted for installation in a recreational area about a home. It is also desirable to have such apparatus adapted for use at public recreational areas, such as at public playgrounds or picnic grounds.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a rotatable table and seating apparatus of very simple construction adapted for use either in a recreational area about a home or at public playgrounds or picnic grounds.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotatable table and seating apparatus particularly adapted. for use by children which is of simple safie constructionv and about which children may be seated with comparative safety and provide the power for rotating said appa ratus by movement of their dangling feet.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a rotatable table and seating apparatz 1s comprising a central shaft rotatably mounted in a hast: portion and having secured thereto a table portion and a seating platform held in spaced relation by common brackets.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a rotatable table and seating apparatus such; ;as is set forth. in the previous object and to have meant: for holding said apparatus in a non-rotatable position, and to provide an umbrella for overhanging said apparatus to pro vide protection from elements of weather.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying 4 drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar partsthroughout the several views and in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation showing applicants invention in operating position;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. l as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical sectior line 33 of Fig. 1 as indicated by the arrovn Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in section on a scale of a portion of applicants device.

Referring to the drawings, applicants shown comprising a base 10. While this bar: variously formed and variously shaped, it is hen as being circular and formed of a lower relja sheet of material 11 and an upper relatively 1 of material 12. Said base is preferably sheet metal material having suitable characte out-of-door use. Said base 10 will be of: a. di sutlicient size to support applicants invention},

1 taken on s; and n enlarged vention is ac may be 3 indicated tively thin hick sheet made of -.ristics for iameter of Upstanding from said base 10 is a cylindrical socket 14 of, some height. Said socket will be secured to said base 10 in any suitable manner, such as by welding. Disposed in a recess 15 in said plate 12 of said base 10 is a bearing 16. Various forms of simple bearings may be provided, but in the embodiment of the invention here illustrated, said bearing is shown to comprise a single substantially large ball bearing.

Adapted to be removably disposed in said socket 14 and rest on its lower end portion on said bearing 16 is a shaft 18 extending upwardly for some distance. Said shaft may be variously formed but is here indicated as being cylindrical in form and having an enclosed lower end portion adapted to rotate easily on said ball bearing 16. Said shaft 18 will be provided with a substantially thick wall surface and said shaft will have adequate strength to support the apparatus mounted thereon.

Adapted to be mounted on said shaft 18 adjacent said socket 14 is a socket cover or weather cap 20. Said cap member 20 is cylindrical in form having its upper end of reduced diameter and enclosing said shaft 18 and being secured thereto, as by welding. Said cap 20 will extend downwardly over said socket 14 for some distance. Said cap 20 is provided with a boss 21 apertured to have a detent 22 mounted therein. Said detent is provided with a head portion 23 and a shaft 24. Said shaft has a key or lug 25 on its inner end. A spring 27 is mounted on said shaft 24 intermediate said boss 21 and said head portion 23. Said spring will normally urge said detent to an outward position. Said socket 14 and said shaft 18 are provided with aligned apertures 14a and 18a respectively. Said apertures are of sulficient width to have said detent 22 pass therethrough with the key 25 in a downward direction, as indicated in Fig. 4. When moved inwardly through said aligned apertures 14a and 18a said detent will be turned degrees, as shown in Fig. 3, to have said key 25 engage the inner surface of said shaft 18 and thus be held in locked position.

Mounted on said shaft 18 somewhat below its upper end portion is a collar 30. Said collar 30 may be secured to said shaft 18 in various ways, such as by being removably secured thereto, but in the embodiment of the invention here illustrated, it is shown being secured to said shaft as by welding. Said collar is formed having substantial thickness and extends outwardly of said shaft 18 for some little distance. A plurality of radially extending brackets 32 are provided spaced about collar 30 and having their upper ends secured to said collar, as by welding. Said brackets 32 have portions 32a extending outwardly horizontally from said collar for some distance and then having portions 32b inclined downwardly and outwardly and having their lower free end portions 320 bent to extend outwardly horizontally in a common plane. A collar 35 similar to said collar 30 is mounted on said shaft 18 somewhat below said collar 30. Said collar 35 may be secured in various ways to said shaft 18 so as to be removable therefrom or permanently secured thereto. In the embodiment of the invention here illustrated it is shown to be secured to said shaft 18, as by welding. Spaced about said collar 35 and having their lower ends secured thereto, as by welding, are a plurality of struts or supporting members 37 inclined upwardly and outwardly to have their upper ends respectively engage and be secured to said horizontal portions 32a. Thus said struts 37 provide support for said brackets 32.

Mounted on said shaft 18 at the upper end thereof and resting on said collar 30 and the horizontal portions 32a of said brackets 32 is a table 40. Said table 40 is here shown to be circular in form, of suitable thickness,

3. and will be formed of material having characteristics suitable for outdoor use. Said table 40 will be apertured at its central portion to fit over said shaft 18, and is shown here to be flush with the upper end of said shaft. Said brackets 32 will be secured to said table 40, as by bolts 42.

Adapted to be mounted on the horizontal portions 32:: of said brackets 32 is a seating platform 45. Said seating platform may take various forms, but in the embodiment of the invention here illustrated, it is shown as being circular in form and will extend outwardly of said table 46 sufliciently for a comfortable seating arrangement. Said seating platform 45 will be formed of material suitable for outdoor use. Said horizontal portions 320 of said brackets 32 will be secured to said seating platform 45, as by bolts 47.

Said shaft 18 will be formed having an open upper end forming a socket 1812. Adapted to be removably mounted in said socket 18b is shown an umbrella 50 comprising an upper protective covering portion 51 which will be of a common and well known structure and a handle portion 52. Said handle portion will have a lower end portion 53 of reduced dimension adapted to be disposed in said socket 181). Said portion 53 will be of sufficient length to provide adequate support for said umbrella 50. The protective portion 51 of said umbrella 50 will be of sufficient diameter to give adequate protection against elements of weather, such as sun or rain, to the table and seating platform therebelow.

In operation, applicants rotatable table and seating apparatus may be used with or without said umbrella 50, as may be desired. The users of said apparatus will be seated on said seating platform 45, and conveniently arranged in connection therewith is said table 40. Said platform 45 and table 40 mounted as an integral unit on said shaft 18 are rotatable therewith, or if desired by use of the detent 22 said shaft may be locked in a non rotatable position. The uses to which said apparatus may be put are quite obvious and varied in number.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very simple sturdily built rotatable table and seating apparatus which may be very easily installed wherever its use may be desired. -It is made but of few simple parts each of 4 which are easily formed and they are easily assembled together to form applicants apparatus.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in an apparatus capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A rotatable table and seating platform apparatus having in combination, a wide flat circular base, a socket extending upwardly for a short distance centrally of said base, a large ball bearing recessed in said base at the bottom of said socket, a vertical shaft having its lower end portion journaled in said socket and being supported on said ball bearing, a cylindrical collar forming a weather cap carried on said shaft and adapted to be disposed over said socket, a collar secured to said shaft adjacent its upper end portion, a fiat circular table mounted on said shaft and resting at its central portion on said collar and having a diameter substantially the same as that of said base, a plurality of radially extending brackets being respectively secured at one end to said collar and having portions extending horizontally for some distance below said table and being secured thereto and having outer portions respectively inclined downwardly and outwardly and having their free end portions respectively extending outwardly horizontally in a common plane and extending for a distance beyond the periphery of said base, a flat annular seating platform supported on said horizontally extending free end portions of said brackets and being secured thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 841,424 McKinney Jan. 15, 1907 877,812 Vogler Jan. 28, 1908 1,182,850 Little May 9, 1916 1,654,231 Akers Dec. 27, 1927 1,963,467 Keller June 19, 1934 2,713,889 White July 26, 1955' 

